House debates Personal Explanations

Thursday, 31 May 2007 House of Representatives

Robert McClelland

Robert McClelland Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

3:42 pm

Mr Speaker, I wish to make a personal explanation.

David Hawker

David Hawker Speaker

Does the honourable member claim to have been misrepresented?

Robert McClelland

Robert McClelland Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

Yes.

Robert McClelland

Robert McClelland Barton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs

An article in today’s Australian by Dennis Shanahan purports to directly quote from comments I am alleged to have made in a private meeting yesterday with a Chinese parliamentary delegation. While I do not propose to further betray the confidence of those discussions, I can confirm that the quotes which have been attributed to me are not accurate.